Hall of Fame

The Table 36 guide to cigar smokers throughout history. Visit us each month as we continue to add to this who’s who of famous (and sometimes infamous) stogie lovers.

Congratulations to our Inaugural Class as chosen by an on-line vote:

#1 Winston Churchill

The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill not only helped send Hitler to a well-deserved early grave, but he is one of the most prominent of all cigar enthusiasts in history. Churchill once said “I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form.” We could not have said it any better.

#2 George Burns

Another of the most notable of cigar advocates, Burns once suggested that the secret to long life was, among other things, smoking 1 to 15 cheap cigars a day. Rarely if ever seen on stage or off without his trusty El Producto, Burns’ act was as famous for his cigar as it was for his dry delivery and vaudeville-influenced jokes.

#3 Mark Twain

Acerbic wit? Check. Unparalleled literary talent? Check. A true and abiding love for cigars? Check Check. Mark Twain (aka Samuel L. Clemens) grew up in Missouri and began his lifelong love affair with cigars during his youth. As he grew older (and increasingly more famous) the only thing that changed was the size of the stick in which he chose to indulge. However, none of those sticks would ever be a Havana as he vowed to never smoke a foreign cigar. Twain did, though, make one concession concerning his habit when he announced “I smoke in moderation. Only one cigar at a time.”

April 2012 Inductee:

#4 Groucho Marx

T36: Groucho, we want to congratulate you on your induction and welcome you to the Table 36 Cigar Smokers Hall of Fame.

Groucho: Please accept my resignation. I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member.

T36:But Groucho, we’ve just started…

Groucho: Well, in that case. Hello, I must be going…

T36:I must admit, we were surprised that you were able to talk to us on the record, seeing as how you’ve been dead for over 30 years.

Groucho: Who are you going to believe? Me or your own eyes.

T36:But, I don’t understand, we all read the obituary reports. Here take a look for yourself.

Groucho: Why a four-year-old child could understand this report. Run out and find me a four-year-old child. I can’t make head nor tail out of it.

T36: Let’s get to the reason your here…

Groucho: Women? Say, where are they?

T36:We thought we’d try to be serious about this so we didn’t want to shamelessly lure you here with something so transparent.

Groucho: Anyone who says they can see through women is missing an awful lot.

T36:So you’d have preferred we had women on hand rather than celebrate your success.

Groucho: I always say behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife.

T36:So you prefer a good woman to a good cigar?

Groucho: A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke.

T36:Anything else you’d like to add?

Groucho: Quote me as saying I was misquoted.

T36: Groucho, thanks for being here. And, congratulations again.

Groucho: I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.

May 2012 Inductee:

#5 Peter Falk

A rumpled raincoat, furrowed brow, rambling manner, and ever-present cigar – together these comprised the uniform of one of television’s most beloved crime-fighters. As Lt. Columbo, Peter Falk managed to marry both an endearing ineptitude and razor sharp intellect into one of most iconic TV cops in history. And almost as iconic as his seemingly-innocent “Just one more thing…” approach to letting the guilty party know that he was on to them was his always at-the-ready-stogie. Whether scratching in head in confusion, pensively putting the puzzle pieces together, or simply letting the criminal talk himself or herself in circles, Columbo’s cigar was the perfect prop that did more damage over 32 years than any bullet ever could.

June 2012 Inductee:

#6 Red Auerbach

Arnold “Red” Auerbach is a name as synonymous with cigars as he is with basketball. As coach and later GM of the Boston Celtics, Auerbach led them to 16 NBA titles — ever-present cigar at the ready. As he explained in an interview with the Boston Globe some years before his death:

“Years ago, when [the NBA hierarchy] were picking on me for a hundred different things, I tried to think of something to aggravate them. They were abusing me. I lighted a cigar all of a sudden. I got a note: ‘It doesn’t look good for you to smoke cigars on the bench.’ I told them I’d stop when the other coaches stopped smoking cigarettes…The cigar is a sign of relaxation. The cigarette is a sign of tension.”

July 2012 Inductee:

#7 Rush Limbaugh

Love him or hate him, you cannot deny Rush his spot on the talk radio pantheon. A self-described “harmless, lovable little fuzz ball” the very mention of his name can send those on the left of the political spectrum into apoplectic rage that borders on mania. To dismiss him, however, as nothing more than a blowhard is a mistake.

By his own admission, Rush is “having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have”. However, many see only satire or hear only bombast instead of recognizing the keen insight and meticulously researched commentary that fuel his three hour daily show. When it comes to contemporary political talk, no one does it better.

In addition to his arsenal of wit, wisdom, and world-knowledge, El Rushbo generally arms himself with a choice cigar as he takes on all comers from behind the golden EIB microphone. A fan of the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel, it is rumored the company actually makes a special version of the stick solely for his enjoyment alone.

Whether you know him as America’s Truth Detector; the Doctor of Democracy; the Most Dangerous Man in America; the All-Knowing, All-Sensing, All-Everything Maha Rushie, or (for those in the opposition) something considerably more unprintable, never forget that he is one of the cigar world’s premiere ambassadors. And on that, to quote Rush himself, “Don’t doubt me.”

August 2012 Inductee:

#8 Babe Ruth

Perhaps no other name in all of baseball history draws to mind as iconic an image as that of Babe Ruth. With his stout frame, rumbled uniform, and slightly punch-drunk expression, George Herman Ruth Jr. set records, single-handedly built the legend that is Yankee Stadium, and indulged his passion for the good life with a gusto that could be matched by few others — individually or collectively.

While his exploits as a world-class drinker and Casanova are well-documented, often overlooked was his love affair with the cigar. In fact, while still playing in Boston, Ruth lent his name and image to a local company that produces a stogie named after him. He even reportedly visited Havana on a couple of occasions to bring handfuls of Cubans back.

Perhaps The Babe’s most infamous cigar tale involved an evening when he sneaked a girl into his hotel room while on the road. His roommate, Ernie Shore, was finally able to doze off despite the amorous sounds coming from within the room. In the morning, Shore discovered both Ruth and the girl sound asleep with a handful of cigar butts on the floor. when Shore asked Ruth about them, Babe allegedly responded that he liked to have a cigar every time he finished.

The Great Bambino indeed…

September 2012 Inductee

#9 Tom Selleck

Thomas Magnum. Matthew Quiqley. Jesse Stone. The guy who made Three Men and a Baby watchable…Selleck’s 40+ year career has seen him tackle many diverse roles. And next to driving Rosie O’Donnell off of a very public deep end, his most endearing quality is his love for cigars.

Not only has he found a way to work them in as a prop for the occasional screen character, but Selleck confesses that, in between takes on the Halifax set of his Jesse Stone movies or the New York location for his current show (CBS’ Blue Bloods), you might just find a stick burning in hand or the foot of his chair.

While he might have famously lost out on the chance to portray Indy on the big screen, we can’t help but believe his larger than real life image – 6’3” frame, moustache, and lit cigar – is the stuff real heroes are made of.

October 2012 Inductee:

#10 Adolphus Busch

German immigrant, union soldier, diesel engine proprietor, and philanthropist — Adolphus Busch was all of the above, yet he is best known as America’s premier brew master. His status of the King of Beer began in 1879 when he took over the family (by marriage) business upon the death of his father-in-law Eberhard Anheuser. Rebranding the company Anheuser-Busch, renaming the company’s best known product Budweiser, and eventually adding the hugely profitable Michelob lines helped cement over a century of domestic brewing domination.

An anecdote shared in the 1930 American Scrapbook recounts a tale of Busch dining in Paris with friend and restaurateur Tony Faust. Faust was dependent upon the multi-lingual Busch to guide him in how to place his order in French, which he successfully did. After the meal, the trusting Faust asked Busch how he would ask for cigars. The clever Busch told him, but instead of cigars, Faust found himself on the receiving end of the dinner bill!

November 2012 Inductee:

#11 Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was born in Point Pleasant Ohio, on April 27th, 1822. A West Point graduate famed for his military prowess, Grant is also readily identified as a brother of the leaf by even the most casual historian. Initially, Grant would be described as a light smoker. During one battle a reporter spotted him holding an unlit cigar given to him as a gift. Soon, thousands of cigars were sent to him in camp. Grant gave away as many as he could –by some reports seven to ten a day– but he soon regularly indulged in the recreation that became one of his trademarks.

Even in the heat of battle, when his staff officers were full of anxiety, Grant calmly smoked his cigar and never lost his composure. His nerves of steel were a wonder to all around him. After the war, he was advanced to General in Chief, and served momentarily as Secretary of War under Andrew Johnson. Grant’s attempts to protect the southern occupational army soon earned him a presidential candidacy in the radical Republican party. In 1868 he won the election and served for 2 terms.

While President, Grant would finish a day’s work at The White House, he would go over to the Willard Hotel to relax and smoke a cigar or two in the hotel lobby. Since it wasn’t that easy to see Grant at the office, people would hang out in the hotel lobby hoping to get a few minutes with the President. Grant, preferring to smoke in peace, called the “people-in-waiting” at the hotel “lobbyists” thus giving birth to one of the infamous terms in all of politics.

December 2012 Inductee:

#12 Mike Ditka

Player. Coach. Analyst. Icon.

Mike Ditka IS football.

As a player, Mike Ditka brought a new dimension to the role of Tight End, a position that had previously been viewed as an additional blocker. From his rookie year in 1961 to the final touchdown catch of Super Bowl VI, Ditka racked up 427 receptions, 5,812 yards, 43 TDs. His induction the Pro Football Hall of Fame reflected an amazing position-defining career.

As coach of the 1985 Champion Chicago Bears, Ditka honed the “tough as nails” persona leading a colorful cast of characters to a 46-10 victory over the New England Patriots. In doing so, Ditka became only the second person to ever receive a Super Bowl ring as both a player and a coach.

As an analyst, Ditka shared his insights with both CBS and NBC before settling in at ESPN in 2004 where has become one of televisions most celebrated analytical voices.

“Dit-ka”and “Da Bears” have become synonymous with football, grit, and the Windy City, his gruff determination becoming symbolic of both the team and the city. Ditka summed up his philosophy once by saying“If you’re not in the parade, you watch the parade. That’s life.”

Today, Ditka is turning some of his fabled-toughness on smoking “do gooders” and “health nuts” as he stands firm in his desire to enjoy a good cigar. “A lot of society has forgotten that we have freedoms, and the freedom I choose is to smoke a cigar. Period. If you don’t like that, then don’t be around me.”

Well said, Coach!

January 2013 Inductee:

#13 Rudolph Giuliani

Officially the former Mayor of New York, Guliana is now considered “America’s Mayor”. Whether it was his cleaning up the mean streets of the Big Apple or nightly displays of both the strength and compassion of a devastated nation in the days immediately following 9/11, Giuliani embodies the exceptionalism and grit synonymous with the United States.

But there is more to this man than just piss, vinegar, and patriotism. He displays warmth, a deft comic touch, keen political insight, and a taste for cigars that was honed under the tutelage of Ernesto Perez-Carillo.

It is hard to imagine any Gotham mayor before or since willing to stand up to enemies within the great city or from well without its borders, but Guliani did – and, as such, he has gone from politician to American treasure.

February 2013 Inductees

#14 Arnold Schwarzenegger

#15 Sylvester Stallone

#16 Bruce Willis

In 2012’s The Expendables 2, Barney (played by Sylvester Stallone) spies an old plane andremarks “It should be in a museum.” That is quickly capped by his colleague Trench (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who wryly notes “We all should” as their other comrade in arms Church (Bruce Willis) smiles.

Both the scenario and the sentiment expressed have an air of truth. These three former box-office rivals from the 80’s and 90’s are in actuality friends and, though they may be a bit passed their cinematic prime, none shows signs of slowing down. On the heels of that 2012 hit, each began 2013 with individual shoot-‘em homages to their screen legacies (Schwarzenegger’s The Last Stand, Stallone’s Bullet to the Head, and Willis’ A Good Day to Die Hard).

Schwarzenegger’s love of the leaf is well-documented. Since being introduced to them in the 70’s by his former father-in-law, Arnold has rarely been seen, on screen or off, without his now-iconic cigar.

Stallone is well-known for his love of all things fine and premium be it art, pens, watches, or cigars. It stands to reason that he would only enjoy the finest in premium cigars.

Willis, while not readily associated with the brotherhood of the leaf, used to be a regular visitor to the Governator’s Monday night dinners at Schatzi’s on Main in Santa Monica.

Of course, this was pre-9/11 when the Russians were still movies’ go-to celluloid Big Bad, our leading men rarely had to do little more than lock and load, and cigar smoking was not vilified.

The cinematic geo-political scene may have changed, James Bond has started to cry, and cigar enthusiasts nation-wide find themselves find themselves in the cross-hairs of onerous government regulation, ridiculous taxation, and disapproving public sentiment.

However, watching these three action hero stalwarts on screen again doing what they do best reminds us that there was a time when we could simply sit back, light ‘em up and secure in the knowledge that Ah-nuld, Sly, and Bruno would dispatch the bad guys with extreme prejudice, get the girls, and then hit their personal humidors to celebrate a day’s work.

March 2013 Inductee

#17 Clarence Thomas

Attorney, Supreme Court Justice, Author, Husband, Father, Grandson, Car Enthusiast, and Cigar Smoker! Although Justice Thomas has been in the public eye for some 20+ years, his reserved nature and desire to keep his distance from interviews leaves him as enigmatic as ever. Many quickly associate his name with the contentious committee hearings surrounding his nomination when political opponents tried to stop his ascent to the bench. However, this nominee knew what it meant to fight through tough times and maintain both dignity and integrity. As such, his austere presence and quiet strength has served as a moral compass to the Supreme Court since his confirmation. When not ruling or writing the accompanying opinions, Justice Thomas is likely to be found at a NASCAR race or traveling anonymously in his mobile home across the country he serves with such pride. And, you are also likely to find him enjoying a cigar as those who have run into him at Washington Big Smokes can attest. Just one reading of his memoir My Grandfather’s Son will confirm that he has earned those moments of reflection and relaxation!

April 2013 Inductee

#18 Orson Welles

Actor. Writer. Director. Wine Pitchman. Cigar enthusiast. Orson Welles was many things over the course of his storied and celebrated life. Be it his ability to shock an entire nation with a faux Martian attack on his Mercury Radio Theater production of War of the Worlds, his single-handed innovation of films at the tender age of just 25 with his celluloid masterpiece Citizen Kane, or his sunset years promise as a pitchman for Paul Masson to “sell no wine before its time”, Welles firmly established a place for himself in American popular culture. Often pictured as well-cultured, Welles’ Wisconsin beginnings, Midwestern work ethic, and common sense were often overshadowed by an erudite manner punctuated by deliberate diction and a rhythmic baritone voice. Welles did appreciate the finer things, and, not surprisingly, he did appreciate his cigars even going so far as to write cigar-smoking characters into his films. An on-screen and off-screen classic, Orson Welles remains unparalleled to this day.

May 2013 Inductee

#19 Thomas Edison

Yes, the Electric Sunshine Man reportedly liked to celebrate his inventions with a fine cigar. Light bulbs, the sound recording, the reproducing phonograph, the stock ticker, the Kinetograph” (motion picture camera). These are just a few of creations about which the Wizard of Menlo Park might have ruminated over his regular after-dinner cigar. Edison once remarked “From his neck down, a man is worth a couple of dollars a day. From his neck up, he is worth anything his brain can produce.” Anything his brain or the tobacco fields an aficionado might presume….

June 2013 Inductee

#20 Andy Garcia

Movie audiences will remember him in roles as diverse as cop turned government agent George Stone in The Untouchables to the conflicted peace officer in Internal Affairs to the scheming Terry Benedict in the Ocean’s 11 film series. But there is so much more to this multi-talented actor-director-writer.

Born in Havana before fleeing to Miami with his family at the age of five, Garcia is fiercely proud of his heritage and has chosen a variety of projects that explored the good, bad, and the sometimes painful parts of Hispanic and Latino history.

Cuban roots might be the very reason you will often see Garcia on the golf course or seated on set with a cigar in hand. Whatever the reason, he does seem to come by his love of the leaf naturally even going so far as to film scenes for his film The Lost City in the Dominican Republic in the fields of Chateau de la Fuente. Fuente’s offer to plant tobacco out of season in order to appear on film led to the birth of Opus X: The Lost City. Garcia’s voice can be heard doing the Spanish narration of the DVD documentary The Fuente Family: An American Dream.

After nearly three decades in show business, Andy Garcia is recognized as a talented artist and businessman. He has now become an inspiring American dream in his own right.

July 2013 Inductee

#21 G.K. Chesterton

Gilbert Keith (G. K.) Chesterton was a British writer, theologian, and cigar smoker.Having With an astonishing 80 books, 200 short stories, 4,000 essays to his name (to say nothing of the countless poems, newspaper articles, and columns he produced), Chesterton is recognized as one of the 20th Century’s greatest thinkers and man of letters.

Recognized almost as much for his ever-present cigar as for his imposing 6’4”, 300lb frame, in his day, Chesterton mused on religion: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”

Freedom:“To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.”

Patriotism:“My country, right or wrong,’ is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case. It is like saying, ‘My mother, drunk or sober.”

Art:“Art is the signature of man.”

Human inter-action: “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.”

The foibles of man:“If you want the last word, apologize.”

And even golf:“I regard golf as an expensive way of playing marbles.”

Chesterton’s acerbic wit and keen insight into the human mind and soul allowed him to note the intricacies of the human mind, heart, and soul.He could use situations lofty or mundane (even the casual offer of a cigar) to illustrate what human action and inaction reflected about the state of society as a whole:

“I remember once receiving two American interviewers on the same afternoon; there was a box of cigars in front of me and I offered one to each in turn. Their reaction (as they would probably call it) was very curious to watch. The first journalist stiffened suddenly and silently and declined in a very cold voice. He could not have conveyed more plainly that I had attempted to corrupt an honorable man with a foul and infamous indulgence; as if I were the Old Man of the Mountain offering him hashish that would turn him into an assassin. The second reaction was even more remarkable. The second journalist first looked doubtful; then looked sly; then seemed to glance about him nervously, as if wondering whether we were alone, and then said with a sort of crestfallen and covert smile: ‘Well, Mr. Chesterton, I’m afraid I have the habit’.”

August 2013 Inductee

#22 Armand Assante

When it comes to the quintessential image of the debonair continental, it is hard to beat Emmy Award winning actor Armand Assante. Romantic lead, tough guy hero, or even comedic leading man — Assante has for four decades played a variety of roles that have spanned the character spectrum. Who else can you imagine go from a charismatic Mambo King to a comic book villain in Judge Dredd and on to real life crime icon John Gotti?

Many look mistake his easy charm, good looks, and penchant for playing characters with foreign backgrounds as an indication that he himself is of foreign descent. Not so, Assante is a product of good old NYC. A devoted father, Assante is a true brother of the leaf, often incorporating cigars into his on-screen portrayals.

In a 2008 interview with Cigar Aficionado, Assante explained his theory as to why cigars might make a useful prop for him as an actor, “I slow down when I smoke a cigar; my thoughts get slower and I start to examine things outside myself. It’s an illusion, obviously, but maybe because a cigar gives you a natural pause, you start to examine whatever it is you’re trying to articulate and maybe somehow, for a moment, have the illusion…that you’re being more articulate than you are.”

In that same interview, Assante reflected on the useful of cigars for him to focus and carefully consider questions large or small so as not to “jump to conclusions”.

“I love cigars. In the process of a cigar, I observe my thoughts. A cigar for me is about solitude, both alone and in company, and I take it seriously.” That is a sentiment all cigar smokers, no doubt, understand.

September 2013 Inductee

#23 Michael Jordan

Arguably, or maybe not so arguably, the best basketball player of all-time, Jordan has had an affinity for cigars throughout his career. In fact, his love of cigars has garnered headlines on several occasions. Whether he is smoking before a playoff game, during a round of golf at a public golf course in San Fransisco, or in his newly designed smoker’s paradise of a mansion, Jordan does not shy away from embracing his passion wherever he is. The bold confidence that served him so well on the basketball court certainly seems to carry into every part of Jordan’s life. Regardless of what anyone else thinks.

October 2013 Inductee

#24 Jack Nicholson

This iconic actor’s well-known passion for the LA Lakers is easily rivaled by his passion for cigars. The actor attributes the development of his affinity with cigars to the golf course. Instead of burning through a half a pack of cigarettes, Nicholson chose to go with a cigar. He explains his quitting cigarettes to his switch to cigars. He once stated, “The only way to break a bad habit was to replace it with a better habit.”

His continued efforts to enjoy this pasttime in the Forum where the Lakers play are well documented. He shared that he is even willing to “sneak into the men’s room at halftime” to grab a smoke.

That’s dedication.

November 2013 Inductee

#25 Clint Eastwood

When it comes to visualizing the old west one of the first images that comes to mind is that of Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name in the Sergio Leone spaghetti western trilogy. Throughout many of his westerns Clint can been seen smoking cigars as he drifts across the old west. And who can argue with his character Blondie in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly…when he says “After a meal there’s nothing like good cigar.”

So, with the launch of The Peacemaker cigar approaching and Clint’s contributions to over 50 movies (and still counting), we here at Table 36 are honored to enshrine Clint into our Hall of Fame.

December 2013 Inductee

#26 Milton Berle

Along with George Burns (#2 on this list), Berle truly represents an era of comedy that we are never likely to see again. Anything we could say about this icon wouldn’t be as eloquent or touching as this article by Richard Carleton Hacker.

January 2014 Inductee

#27 Bill Cosby

Based on Table 36’s Hall of Fame you would assume that we like our comedians (and you would be correct), so today we add another to that list: Bill Cosby.

Bill Cosby began as a stand-up comedian, and while he did his fair share of movies his dominance came on the small screen. Bill was the first African American to star in a dramatic television series when “I Spy” debuted in 1965. From there he went on to do “Fat Albert”, “The Bill Cosby Show”, and ultimately the “The Cosby Show”…a show which not only defined his career but a generation as well.

Cosby has held firm to his roots of family friendly comedy and has been outspoken on many issues impacting society. So to honor a man whose actions reflect his Integrity we are proud to induct Bill Cosby into the Table 36 HOF.

March 2014 Inductee

#28 Kid Rock

We are proud to induct Kid Rock into the Table 36 Hall of Fame not because we agree with all his actions, but because we respect his independent nature, philanthropy, and of course his love of cigars.

Kid Rock has always marched to a different drummer. A self-taught musician that can play every instrument in his band and has been influenced from various artists such as Run DMC, Ted Nugent, and Hank Williams Jr. He continues to show his devil may care attitude by bucking Hollywood trends and supporting some conservative politicians, which can be considered career suicide for some musicians.

Kid Rock’s philanthropy has extended to a Boy Scout troop in Florida, various Detroit institutions and now his own charity the Kid Rock Foundation. His foundation raises funds for local and regional charities…these charities reach out to disadvantaged children, victims of war and national disasters, and those suffering from illness.

We think Kid Rock sums himself up the best in a CBS interview… He acknowledged critics can find plenty of ammunition on the Internet to hate him and plenty of good things that people would fall in love with him for. He says he is all of those things. “I’m just doing me.”

April 2014 Inductee

#29 Miguel Angel Jimenez

Miguel Angel Jimenez is a successful golfer who has a zest for life and a unique character that has won him a large following of fans and admirers inside and outside the game of golf. About the only time he isn’t smoking a cigar is in competitive play.

Miguel was born and raised in Spain in a household with seven brothers. He dropped out of school at fifteen and caddied for an older brother to earn money. The game of golf eventually won his heart. Miguel turned pro in 1982 and recently finished fourth at the 2014 Masters. He was fifty years old. His playing resume includes twenty-four professional wins and many Ryder Cup appearances.

Golf has afforded him a wonderful lifestyle and it is not lost on Miguel. He treats fans, players, the media as good friends invited in to share the experience. He appears unflappable on and off the course. Miguel takes golf seriously and is dedicated to the game, but he thinks nothing of bringing wine and cigars to practice. Miguel’s sage advice includes, “when you rush you cannot enjoy the food, the wine, the cigars.”

I’d sure like to play a round with Mr. Jimenez!

July 2014 Inductee

#30 James Woods

James Woods is an accomplished actor whose works include a cop killer in The Onion Field, a gangster in Once Upon A Time In America, a journalist in Salvador (best actor academy award nominee), and a hustler in Casino.

He was born on April 18th, 1947 in Vernal Utah. His mother was a preschool teacher, and father a United States Army intelligence officer. In high school James scored a perfect 800 on the verbal SAT and a 779 on the math portion. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on an academic scholarship before dropping out to pursue acting. James is said to have an IQ of 180. Albert Einsteins is approximated at 160 for comparisons sake. The term genius applies in its’ truest form.

Woods has often used cigars onscreen to create and define a character. Offscreen, he enjoys the cigar experience, seeing cigars as a safe haven from the modern intrusions that are part of a busy life. Consider this James Woods quote from many years ago, ‘my nightmare in life, my absolute fundamental, overwhelming, egregious nightmare, is Bill Gates’ vision of the future, where there will be a video camera on every corner and every conversation will be recorded. Man, I’d rather put a pitchfork in my eyes than live in a world like that.” I’m guessing cigars deferred the need for the pitchfork.

Another moment of prescience from James Woods was his August 2001 report to the FBI that he had witnessed four men act suspiciously on a recent domestic flight. Months later, Woods identified two of those men as 9/11 hijackers. Perhaps this is one celebrity whose opinion should be considered.